


Yo, Saturnalia

by T Verano (t_verano)



Series: December, This Time Around [14]
Category: The Sentinel (TV)
Genre: 2015 TS Secret Santa Drabble Days prompt "Saturnalia", M/M, Winter fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-18
Updated: 2015-12-18
Packaged: 2020-05-02 08:10:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19195030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/t_verano/pseuds/T%20Verano
Summary: December with the guys a couple of years post-TSbyBS.Saturnalia isn't on Simon's Holiday-a-Day calendar. More's the pity.





	Yo, Saturnalia

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2015 TS Secret Santa Drabble Days prompt "Saturnalia."
> 
> The pronunciation used in this drabble is based on the likely Roman pronunciation rather than the Greek one, as per Wikipedia.

"Excuse me?" Jim said into the receiver. 

"Yo, Saturnalia."

"That's what I thought you said." Jim scratched his jaw. "Though why you said it beats me. Saturnalia? Yo?"

"Spelled eye-oh, in this case; from the Greek. 'Io, Saturnalia' was the traditional salutation, and Saturnalia begins today. So, yo —"

"— Saturnalia," Jim finished for him, sighing as he dredged his memory. "So… Ancient Rome, drunk and disorderly behavior — orgies? Or some sort of 'anything goes' attitude, anyway?" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Please don't tell me that Saturnalia was on Simon's calendar for today and that you did anything about it — to Simon, with Simon…. Hell, Chief, please tell me you didn't get fired."

Blair laughed, and the tension Jim had felt settle into his neck a moment ago eased up; that wasn't the laugh of a newly unemployed idiot who'd finally crossed over the line when teasing Simon. "Relax, Jim." Blair said. "The Holiday-a-Day for today was 'Buckle Your Seatbelt' Day, and I decided to let that one slide; not a lot of scope there. But you're mostly right about Saturnalia. 'Anything goes' was a big part of the celebration, although there were actually a number of limits to that. Gambling was big, and drinking, and temporary role reversals — like servants getting to eat the kind of elaborate feasts they usually served their masters, although they still had to cook it all themselves. Gag gifts were big, too."

"Gag gifts," Jim repeated. The back of his neck tightened up again as a thought struck him. "I hope you didn't share any of this, ah… enlightening… information with Brown? I don't even want to think about the gag gifts he would come up with for something like this. And you know he would."

Jim suspected that the silence coming from the receiver was a reverent one. Henri's Secret Santa gifts were legendary throughout the entire department. "Chief," he said. "No. The bullpen wouldn't survive it."

Blair's silence morphed into a sigh. "Yeah, I guess you're right. H does get a little carried away sometimes, and the new guys might not be cool with that. Although you _could_ actually consider in-depth exposure to Henri's sense of humor as part of an MCU initiation ritual, like —"

"Chief. _No._ Morales seems like she's got a good head on her shoulders, but I get the impression that the stick up Hayes' ass is made from titanium. I don't think he's ready for in-depth exposure to Henri's inner teenager."

Blair sighed again. "Okay, I won't say a word to H when I go in this morning. But so you know, all bets are off next year."

"Fine," Jim said. Next year he'd try to wrangle January off, too; maybe by February it would be safe to return to the bullpen.

"Wish we could get up to a little in-person 'anything goes' ourselves tonight." The longing in Blair's voice hit Jim right where it hurt.

"Yeah, Chief. Me, too," he said.


End file.
